Beijing failed to deter India's provocations: Chinese media on Doklam

Public opinion in India is trying its utmost to prove New Delhi’s dignity, which China doesn’t refute.

In its first editorial since the resolution to the Doklam standoff, the Global Times suggested that the issue had exposed Beijing's ability to deter unexpected provocations.

The editorial stated that China needs to enhance "deterrence" against external provocations such as the Doklam standoff with India. The editorial also called on China's leaders to evolve a grand national plan to prevent external forces from harming its internal security. This will add costs to China's safeguarding of its national security, so enhancing deterrence needs to be one of our grand national plans."

Though China possesses "powerful comprehensive strength", this has not been recognised by "external forces". A few Chinese are probably not satisfied about the crisis being settled this way.

They wish the People's Liberation Army had given India's troops a good slap. Indians have their own regrets. China stressed its sovereignty and control over the Doklam area when the confrontation ended, and did not make the open commitment that India had hoped for," the editorial also read.

"Public opinion in India is trying its utmost to prove New Delhi's dignity, which China doesn't refute.

The Chinese side was willing to see Indian soldiers withdraw without losing face," the editorial said in an unusual and rapid softening of tone. This was further seen from its contention that while China "hit hard at India during the faceoff, we now don't want to engage in an argument with the Indian media as to which side won".

OneIndia News